Slab-barking machine having rotatable articulated brush



April 26, 1960 J. L. GYLLENBERG SLAB-BARKING MACHINE HAVING ROTATABLE ARTICULATED BRUSH Filed April 16, 1956 INVENTOR. JOHN L. GYLLENBERG ATTORNEYS United States Patent SLAB-BARIGNG MACHINE HAVING ROTATABLE ARTICULATED BRUSH John L. Gyllenberg, Baker, Greg, assignor to Anthony Brandenthaler, Baker, Oreg.

Application April 16, 1956, Serial No. 578,448

9 Claims. (Cl. 144-298) This invention relates to barking machines and particularly to machines for barking slabs and edgings. For convenience such a machine will be referred to hereinafter as a slab-barking machine. The machine of the present application has certain parts in common with the machine shown in my prior copending application entitled Slab Barking Machine, Serial No. 528,182, filed August 15, 1955, now Patent No. 2,794,465.

In the machine disclosed in my prior application, a slab is fed in lengthwise fashion horizontally through the machine and past toothed bark-removing means and then past a brush which is provided to remove loose bark and cambium layer portions on a slab. While the brush disclosed in my prior application operates satisfactorily on some slabs, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a slab-barking machine essentially similar to the slab-barking machine disclosed in my prior application but having a brush means which is capable of successfully performing a desired scraping and scouring action on a wider range of sizes and types of slabs than is my prior brush means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slabbarking machine having brush means so mounted and constructed as to be better able to adjust to the contours of different slabs.

The machine of the present invention is characterized by including a feeding means for feeding a slab through a machine and past a bark-removing means and then past a brush means embodying the concepts of the present invention. The brush means is mounted for rotary movement and includes a plurality of self-adjusting brush members which are mounted for movement to accommodate the contour of a slab.

Various other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a slab-barking machine embodying the concepts of the present invention, parts being broken away to better show the structure of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the brush means in a slightly different position than shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged-scale horizontal section, similar to Fig. 2, but showing details of construction of a portion of the brush;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of that part of the brush means shown in Fig. 3; a

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a schematic view showing the manner of operation of the brush means.

Referring to the drawings, the slab-barking machine includes a frame 11 on which an endless conveyor 13 is mounted by means of sprockets 15 and shaft 17 for moveirient of the upper run of the conveyor through the machine in a horizontal direction from right to left, as the F lc 2,934,111

2 parts are depicted in Fig. 1. A suitable support 19 is provided for the upper run of the conveyor and a support 21 is provided for the lower run of the conveyor. An apron 23 is provided at the right-hand end of the machine upon which slabs may be placed preparatory to their being shoved onto the upper run of the conveyor13.

Cooperating with the conveyor 13, for feeding slabs through the machine, are three feed wheels 31, 33 and 35 which are mounted by arms 37, 39 and 41, respectively, for swinging movement toward and away from the upper run of the conveyor thus to accommodate different-sized slabs. The weight of the arms urges the feed wheels into engagement with a slab. Suitable stops, not shown, are provided for limiting downward movement of the wheels.

The machine includes a first set of rotary, toothed barking means 45 and a second set 47 mounted by arms 49 and 51, respectively, for movement toward and away from a slab carried by the conveyor. A motor 50 is mounted on the machine and serves to drive the feed wheels and sets of bark-removing means through various chain-and-sprocket drives, not shown, but which are es sentially similar to those disclosed in my prior copending application.

Mounted at the left-hand or delivery end of the machine is a brush means generally entitled 61, which includes a vertical shaft 63 mounted by suitable bearings 64 for rotation about a vertical axis which intersects the path of travel of a slab through the machine. As best shown in Fig. 2, the axis of the shaft 63 extends medially through the upper run of the conveyor 13. The shaft 63 is rotatably driven from the motor 50 by a suitable chain drive arrangement, generally entitled 65, and which may be connected to the shaft by beveled gearing67, Fig. 1.

Secured to the lower end of shaft 63 is a disk-shaped brush-member support 69, Fig. 2, disposed in a horizontal plane and having equally spaced around its periphery a plurality of brush members each of which includes a radial shaft 71 (Fig. 3) rotatably extending into a suitable bore formed in the support 69 and having a body 73 of the associated brush member secured to the outer end of the shaft by a suitable pin 75. Each of the bodies 73 is arcuate considered in plan view, the centers of curve: ture of said brush members coinciding with the axis of shaft 63. A suitable retaining screw 77 is provided for each brush member and threads into the support 69 and extends into a groove 79 formed in the inner end of the associatedshaft 71.

Each body 73 is formed with an enlarged portion 81 which, because of its weight, biases the associated brush member for downward swinging movement, and each of the enlarged portions 31 overlaps the support 69 and is provided on its underside with a suitable resilient bumper 83 secured in place by rivets 85. The rivets slidably extend through the bodies 73 so that they do not interfere with compression of the bumpers. The enlarged portions serve to yieldingly bias the brush members in a direction causing contact with a slab.

The body 73 of each brush member is formed with a plurality of bores or sockets in which the upper ends of three brushes 91, 93 and 95 are held by suitable socket metal 97. The brushes 91, 93 and 95 may be formed of sections of heavy cable. Each section of cable is equipped adjacent its lower end with a clamping band 99 to prevent a greater extent of fraying than desired. When a brush wears, the band 99 may be moved up wardly along the brush to provide for further predetermined fraying of the brush.

The operation of the brush is best illustrated in Fig. 7, where it is apparent that the brush members may readily pivot on the support 69 to accommodate the curvature of the slab S, and it will be noted that the brushes 91, 93 and 95 are of progressively longer length so that the Patented Apr. 26, 1960 loi'vverends of the brushes are staggered. This staggering enables the brushes readily to simultaneously engage the curved bark-covered side of the slab S. As the brush members move along the thinner side of the .slab they may readily pivot downwardlyand continue performing arr effective scraPingac'tion on the entire curved surface of'theslab.

The brush members have an effective, rotary scouring action across the logs to remove loose bark portions and loose cambium-layer portions, and even other portions of bark andcambium layer which has not been loosened. After. being subjected to the action of the bark-removing means at 45' and 47 andthe brush means 61, a slab is in condition to'be sent to a pulp mill, or in condition to be run througha chipper and the chips are in condition to' be' sent to a pulp'milL;

Having described the invention in what is considered to bethe preferred embodiment thereof, it is desired that it be understood that the invention is not to be limited other than by the provisions of the followingclaims.

I claim; a V i 1. A slab-barking machineicomprising a frame, means for feeding a slab along a horizontal path through said' machinewith saidslab having'its axis parallel to' said path' and its curved side uppermost,- means along said path for performing a bark-removing operation on such curved side of a slab, and brush meansfarther along said path for thereafter operating on such a slab, said brush means including a plurality of brush members for engagement with a slab, and including means mounting said brush members for independent movement so that they accommodate themselves to the contour of such curved side of a slab which they engage.

2. A slab-barking. machine as set forth in claim 1' in which there are means for moving brush members along a predetermined circular path.

3. A slab-barking machine as set forth in claim 1 in which there are means'for'moving said brush members about an axis angularly related to the axis of the slab.

4. A slab-barking machine comprising rotary brush 'means, and means for feeding a slab past said brush means with a bark-covered side of such slab next to the brush means, said'brusli means including a shaft arranged with its axis intersecting the path of travel of a slab, means for rotating said shaft, a brush-member support carried by the lower end of said shaft, a plurality of brushrmembers arranged around said support in equally spaced relation, each member including a body portion and a shaft connecting said member to the support for pivotal movement of said brush member relative to said support in a vertical path, and means biasing said brush membersin a direction causing contact with a slab.

5. A slab-barking machine comprising rotary brush means, and means for feeding a slab past said brush means with a bark-covered .side of such slab next to the shaft means, said brush means including a shaft adjacent the path of travel. of a slab, means for rotating said shaft, a brush-member support carried by said shaft, a plurality of brush members arranged about said support, each member including a body portion and a shaft connecting said member tothe support for pivotal movement of said brush member relative to said support in a vertical path, and a weight on each brush member biasing the brush member in a 'directioncausing contact with a slab. r

6'. A slab-barking machine comprising rotary brush means, and means for feeding a slab past said brush means with a bark-covered side; of such slab next to the brush means, said brush means including a vertical shaft arranged with its axis intersecting the path of travel of a slab, means for rotating'said brush means, a brushmember support carried by the lower end of the shaft, a p'luralityof brush members arranged around said support in equally spaced relation and swingably connected to said support for vertical movement, and means biasing said brush members in a direction causing contact with a slab, at least certain of said brush members each including a series of brush elements of staggered height in a direction circumferentially of said body member.

7. A slab-barking machine comprising rotary brush means, and means for feeding a slab past said brush means with a bark-covered side of such slab next to the brush means, said brush means including a vertical shaft arranged with its axis intersecting the path of travel of a slab, a brush-member support carried by the lower end of the shaft, a plurality of brush members" arranged around said support in equally spaced relation, each member including a body portion and a shaft connecting said member to the support for pivotal movement of said brush member relative to said support in a vertical path, a weight on each brush member biasing the brush memher in a direction causing contact with a slab, and a bum-per interposed between each brush member and said bodym'ember to limit downward movement of said brush member.

8. A slab-barking machine comprising rotary brush means, and means for feeding a slab past said brush means with a bark-covered side of such slab next to the brush means, said brush means including a vertical shaft arranged with its axis intersecting the path of travel of a slab, a brush-member support carried by the lower end of the shaft, a plurality of brush members arranged around said support in equally spaced relation, each member including a body portion and a shaft connecting said member to the support for pivotal movement of said brush member relative to said support in a vertical path, a weight on each brush member biasing the brush member in a direction causing contact with av slab, and a bumper interposed between each brush member and said body member to limit downward movement of said brush member, each brush member including a series of brush elements of staggered height in a direction circumferentially of said body member.

9. A slab-barking machine comprising a' rotary barkremoving means,- and means for feeding a slab past said rotary bark-removing means with a bark-covered side of such slab next to the rotary bark-removing means, said rotary bark-removing means including 'a shaft arranged with its axis intersecting the. path of travel of a slab,

means for rotating said shaft, a bark-removing-member support carried by the lower end of said shaft, a plurality of bark-removing members arranged around said support in equally spaced relation, each member including a body portion and a shaft connecting said member to the support for pivotal movement of said bark-removing member relative to said. support in. a vertical path, and means biasingsaid bark-removing members in a direction causing contact with a slab.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 698,949 Hight Apr. 29, 1902 2,242,577 Finnel May 20, 1941 2,401,500 Ockfen June 4, 1946 2,653,635 Denison' Sept. 29, 1953 2,712,329 Crank July'5, 1955 2,725,908 Ednell et al Dec. 6,1955 2,769,468 Swanson Nov. 6, 1956 2,771,922 Gyllenberg a Nov. 27, 1956 2,794,465 Gyllenberg June 4, 1957 FOR IG PATENTS 69,348 Sweden Sept. 22, 1928 132,077 7 Germany June 28, 1902 136,210 Germany Nov. 22, 1902 7 709,524 J Great Britain- May 26, 1954 

